


Out of the Pool

by readaholicgirl



Category: Welcome to Hell - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Almost Drowning, Character Death, Other, Prompt Fic, Unrequited Love, Work In Progress, especially near jonathan, older heartthrob lifeguard!jonathan, sexy swim teacher!jonathan, sock attempts to drown to get jonathan's attention, sock might have a lot of near drowning deaths in his future, supportive bff!jojo, surprise lilathan, younger awkward teen!sock
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-06
Updated: 2017-03-16
Packaged: 2018-04-07 23:25:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4281963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/readaholicgirl/pseuds/readaholicgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jonathan is a hot lifeguard at the local public pool where younger teen Sock tries to drown himself to get his attention.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> from this [prompt](http://wthkinkmeme.tumblr.com/post/86724654723)

It was a hot summer day and the pool was filled with kids trying to cool off. The sun was shining up above and anyone without sunscreen was bound to be sunburned by the end of the day. But that didn’t seem to trouble the hot blond teen up on the lifeguard post. He sat under a prompt umbrella that the other lifeguard—who just got off duty ten minutes ago—left behind.

Sock had waited an hour sitting on the shaded cement waiting for his crush to clock in. Only to wait another twenty minutes to execute his plan. It was a brilliant plan, one that would get him close to Jonathan.

 _Jonathan_ , see even his name sounded wonderful. Sock bit his lip trying to calm himself since he didn’t have his scarf so he could run his hands over it. _Keep it together, you can’t back down now_.

Taking another deep breath to steady his nerves, Sock pulled his goggles on and walked to the edge of the pool.

Sock, in his green swimming trucks, stared at the rippling water from all the splashing pre-teens. Sock didn’t know how to swim and was about to plunge into the deep end of the pool where the older kids or experience swimmers were playing.

 _Remember, this is all for Jonathan,_ Sock told himself when he felt his nerve slipping. If Jonathan was good at his job—no, he _was_ good—he would rescue Sock before he actually drowned. “Well, here goes nothing.” Sock mumbled under his breath as he ran and cannonball into the pool.

There was a moment of calm as Sock plunged further and further into the chlorine water. He looked up seeing the surface ripple from his jump and he kept sinking deeper and deeper. _That’s_ when he began to panic.

 _What if I hit the bottom and never get back up? What if I_ don’t _hit the bottom and get stuck in the middle? What if Jonathan gets distracted by many of the teen girls and he doesn’t see me drown?_

What if, what if, his mind kept shooting out in his panic state. When Sock noticed he stop going down and hadn’t reached the bottom his heart sped up. His option of using his legs and pushing himself up was gone and he didn’t know how to get back up again on his own.

 _Bad idea, bad idea! I didn’t think this through._ Sock shouted in his head as he started thrashing around letting out a scream which just released precious air bubbles. He stopped his panic scream midway trying to hold onto his air as he felt his lungs start to strain in the lack of moving.

His dilemma was getting back to the surface to get oxygen. But Sock didn’t know how and he had to breathe out more bubbles to relieve the pressure on his chest.

Relax, he had to relax.

Easier said than done.

Sock tried to push his arms up like he’d seen swimmers do. But it didn’t help and he felt himself slowly sinking to the bottom.

 _No! No! No! I need to go up!_ Sock let more precious air bubbles go as his panic seized him when he felt his lungs empty out and held on to nothing. His heart was thumping loudly from the adrenaline his body was producing from the sheer terror he was in into trying to get back to the surface since Jonathan wasn’t coming to get him.

Sock kept onto holding his breath as it became painful, all he wanted to do was breath in. His body was screaming at him to do it. He could feel himself starting to fade as the pool started to get darker and darker. Sock was going to lose consciousness in a few seconds from the lack of oxygen to his brain.

Sock closed his eyes accepting his death as he felt himself pass out.

_Damn..._

* * *

 

_1... 2... 3... 4... 5... 6... 7... 8... 9... 10... Breath._

_1... 2... 3... 4... 5... 6... 7... 8... 9... 10... Breath._

_Come on, come on. Breath kid, you have to breath._

Jonathan leaned down pressing his lips to the pale-ish blue teen as he breathed into him before getting back up and started chest compression. He couldn’t have a drowning here. He only had this job for one month. All that training and it would’ve been for nothing if he couldn’t revive this kid.

Jonathan kept begging in his head for the boy not to die, not on his watch. He didn’t even glance up as the girl _who distracted him from his job_ asked if he was alright. Why is she asking him anything? She thought it would’ve been fun to flirt with him and when that didn’t bring the desired affect she faked an injury and kept him away from where he was really needed.

 _Come on kid._ The boy couldn’t be more than fourteen years old. Jonathan wouldn’t be able to live with himself if _this_ kid who was three fucking years younger than him died.

“I think he’s dead,” she said behind him.

 _No one asked you_ , Jonathan wanted to scream at her. But that would take precious time from performing CPR. _Concentrate. He needed to concentrate._

His reward was hearing water-filled lungs cough as he sighed in relief. _Thank God, he’s alive._

He ordered everyone back to give the kid some breathing room. Lifting the kid’s small shoulders up on his arm, Jonathan helped him sit up as he coughed more water up. _Jesus, how much water did he breathe in?_

That was the wrong question to ask but Jonathan decided not to fret too much on the one he was avoiding. _How is he still alive after breathing in that much water?_ Jonathan was just grateful that someone shouted that someone was drowning to peel himself away from the brunette in the two piece bikini to jump into the pool and save him.

The kid kept coughing but luckily there wasn’t anymore water as his breathing came raspy. He blinked those green eyes at him and there was a spark there that threw Jonathan in a loop.

“Thank you for saving me,” the young teen rasped as he placed a hand over his chest. Jonathan shook his head trying to tone down the gratitude. He didn’t deserve it. It was Jonathan’s fault he almost died there. He wasn’t at his post.

“You have to be more careful out there,” Jonathan said instead and felt like a douche for giving him a lecture to an almost drowned kid.

He nodded in embarrassment, “sorry.”

“It’s okay, just don’t do that again,” Jonathan answered trying to be nicer.

The kid just nodded again trying to get up but feeling too weak. Helping him up, Jonathan walked him to his towel under the shade as he sat down. Getting up Jonathan started to walk away before the kid called out, “Jonathan...”

He automatically turned around not questioning until later that the kid knew his name when he never gave it out. “Thank you... for you know... saving me.”

“You don’t need to thank me. It’s my job.” There was a sad look that crossed the kid’s eyes before he gave him a small sad smile and nodded again letting Jonathan walk off back to his post.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> because though Sock might be a quitter his friend Jojo is not. Or at least he is until he finds motives to keep trying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y'all asked for more and i thought, why not. (i need to get out of my writing funk so why not have some sock and jojo shenanigans!)
> 
> (sorry for the rapid POV switches)

Young Sock suddenly came back with a harsh watery cough as he felt his lungs try to dispel the foreign liquid out. He tried to breathe in but couldn’t as he went into a coughing fit trying to get rid of all the water he swallowed.

It took a while to recognize his surrounding and remember that the solid ground underneath him was the pool’s cement side and that he was leaning against a chest and was sat up. After the water was out, Sock still continued to cough feeling his throat raw as he took some oxygen in feeling his lungs rattle from disuse. _Maybe that wasn’t such a good idea after all._

Opening his eyes, he turned his head to the person holding him and a thrill ran down his spine at seeing Jonathan _holding_ him. “Thank you for saving me,” Sock rasped putting his hand over his heart to stop it from jumping out. _That_ is _something you say to your savior, right? That’s what damsels say to their heroes and then the hero says something_ dreamy _and sweep them in their arms…_

“You have to be more careful out there,” Jonathan sternly said making Sock’s heart skip. _Was he saying that because he cared or because he was lecturing me?_

He apologized, embarrassed hoping he was wrong and Jonathan would wave away his worry. Jonathan did ease his worry away and Sock nodded again trying to get up but feeling too weak to move. Almost drowning took a lot out of you and Sock wanted to swoon when his hot lifeguard helped him to his spot again.

Calling out his name, Sock thanked him again hoping that Jonathan would dip his head and kiss him now.

“You don’t need to thank me. It’s my job.” _It’s my job,_ echoed in his mind and Sock felt crushed and remembered to nod that he understood the message and forced a smile watching sadly as his crush turned his back to him and going back to his post.

 _Of_ course _Jonathan wouldn’t look at me with interest. I was probably a pathetic kid who nearly drowned because he couldn’t swim._ Sock pouted in his spot watching Jonathan put on his dark sunglasses and monitor the pool. He waited two hours for those blue eyes to glance his way but they never did and Sock still felt too weak to move. It wasn’t until it was time to go back home that he picked himself up, wrap his fluffy big towel around himself and walk out.

The ten minute walk felt dragged out and Sock felt drained by the time he got home but still made the effort to climb the stairs and take a shower.

“Sock, honey, dinner’s ready.” His mom shouted from downstairs. Sock was laying on top of his blankets not moving an inch. A minute of silence and then there was knocking on his door before it opened. “Honey, time to eat dinner.”

“I’m not hungry,” Sock answered quietly his voice hoarse. He closed his eyes wanting to sleep instead. Half a minute later he felt his mom carding her fingers through his brown hair instantly relaxing him.

“I’ll save you a plate in the microwave for you to eat later, okay?” he merely nodded as he felt sleep tugging him under. Sock doesn’t know if his mom said anything else after that.

###

Sock moped around the house for a week. He made no effort to go outside or even venture out to the pool where he knew Jonathan would be there four out of the seven days. Jonathan was going to be there today but Sock wrapped himself into a blanket burrito watching a marathon show on Netflix. There was no point going now, knowing that his dreamy blond hadn’t look twice at him.

_It’s my job._

Sock buried himself further into his burrito-self setting himself to watch another episode of a show that wasn’t really catching his interest. The front door ringing pulled him back as he got up from the couch and shuffled himself to the door to answer it since he was currently alone.

Jojo stood there wearing a one piece swimsuit and shorts over them. “Come on lazy bum, we’re going to the pool.”

“I don’t wanna,” Sock answered stepping to the side to let his friend in and close the door. Outside it felt well into the late 80s (31°C) and the AC was keeping the house cool enough to be buried in his blanket like this. “I was binge watching on Netflix.”

“Ugh,” Jojo rolled her eyes exasperated. “You being mopey is becoming annoying. If you still have that crush on the lifeguard then sitting here isn’t going to get his attention. So come on, up. Let’s go seduce him.”

Sock looked skeptical but Jojo’s ushering him up the stairs and bullied into his swim trucks and in less than fifteen minutes they were outside making their way to the pool.

 

* * *

 

“Jojo, he’s not here. Let’s go home,” Sock whined standing next to her. She shook her head grabbing his elbow and finding a spot to put down their towels. There was a glint in her eyes as she went to the rowdy crowd near the edge of the pool hauling Sock into the mix.

“That’s mine!” protested a boy of fourteen as he ran after the other boy being none to gentle in parting the crowd and in that instant Jojo bumped him over the edge of the pool.

Sock started panicking because the last time he was in the pool he almost drowned and now a week later he’s back in the same situation only Jonathan’s nowhere in sight.

He tried crying out trying desperately to stay afloat but he started sinking underwater swallowing a mouthful of water. Jojo looked over the edge waiting for Sock to pop up.

“He can’t swim,” she whispered to herself. _Oh God, he can’t swim_. Though she could swim she wasn’t good enough to pull him up and now with all those bodies in the pool she can’t tell where he disappeared. “Help! My friend’s drowning!”

Only pointing in the general direction she thought Sock’s at someone splashed in swimming lower and lower until they suddenly rose up quickly breaching the water and Sock coughed water out. Kneeling by the edge Jojo reached over grasping Sock’s slimmed arms yanking him up to sit down. Hovering next to him she patted his back as he rasped a breath in.

“Thank you again for saving me,” Sock said looking at the person who gripped him up from his watery grave.

“Again?” Jonathan brushed his wet blond hair away from his face. “Wait, are you the kid who nearly drowned last week?”

“Last week?” Jojo echoed next to Sock who blushed. He meekly nodded.

Jonathan looked at both of them trying to access the situation. “The YMCA has swimming classes. I teach Wednesdays and Thursdays in the mornings if you want to learn.”

“He does,” Jojo grinned. “He’s been wanting to learn for years. Maybe this year he will. Right?” She lightly elbowed him. Sock stuttered like an awkward octopus and Jojo took over as spokesperson. “That’s his way of saying he’ll be there.”

Jonathan nodded still floating in the water, “That’s good. Everyone should know how to swim. Especially if you fall into a pool and no one’s around to help.” Someone called him after that and he smiled and nodded. “Later.”

Sock watched as the boy of his dreams swam away to his group of friends. “This is good Sock, he obviously remembers you and personally asked to teach you to swim! You _are_ going right?”

Sock twisted around to make eye contact with his excited friend before looking back at Jonathan. A small smile spread across his face before he nodded.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Swimming classes ain't what it's cracked up to be.

Waiting for Wednesday was nerve-wr­acking with the anticipation fluttering in his stomach. Jojo excitedly whispering everyday about what he was going to do when the day arrived had him turning into a ball of mush. It wasn’t until the day of that he remembered one important detail.

“You ready,” Jojo grinned bumping his stiff shoulder. He walked slowly, every step had him excited and full of dread. “Are you having second thoughts?”

“Yes,” Sock squeaked turning those big petrified green eyes at her. _Oh my God, I_ can’t _do this._

Jojo, wearing a blue one-piece swimsuit, furrowed her brows at him. “What’s wrong?”

“I can’t swim.”

“Well duh, that’s why we’re here.” Jojo answered relaxing that that was the only problem. She walked forward a bit before noticing he wasn’t following and turned back around. “Sock, come on, that’s why we’re here. Plus your hottie is going to be teaching you. It’s what you wanted.”

“No, _you_ don’t understand. I _can’t_ swim.” Sock emphasized gripping her shoulders. “There’s a reason I haven’t learned all these years. I simply can’t swim. I can’t.”

“Then learn,” Jojo answered prying his hands off of her. Grabbing his forearm she pulled him along to the pool with the other students waiting for class to begin. Most of them were little, seven to nine year olds with only a few eleven and twelve year olds. He was the oldest of the bunch, and most likely the worst.

Sock sent her a don’t-make-me-do-this look. She only shook her head and lightly pushed him in that direction. She signed that she would be on the other side watching. Sock sat down nervous but defeated. He had to learn eventually. Even if his swimming abilities were equal to that of a rock.

Jonathan walked in through the side door across the pool. He had green swim trunks and no shirt which as a first for Sock who quietly drooled over him. Jonathan wasn’t overly ripped but had defining muscles and what looked like faint barely there abs. All the times Sock had watched him from afar Jonathan had been stoic, briefly let feelings show, but today Sock was treated to firsts. There was a smile across his face, polite though it was, but it was a first and Sock fell in love with it. Already secretly promising himself to make him smile for real.

“Good morning everyone, I’m going to be your instructor for today,” Jonathan said standing in front of the group, the younger kids’ parents sitting in the back. Sock was pretty sure one mom secretly swooned but could he blame her? He was definitely swooning himself.

Sock snapped out of it when Jonathan asked them to get in and eyed the chlorine pool with distrust. Reluctantly Sock got up and immersed himself in waiting for his body to adjust to the temperature change. While listening to directions Sock complied and did as he was told.

It wasn’t even fifteen out of the forty-five minute class that he failed. You would think it’s easy to float, but it’s not. At least not for him.

Sock was floating, doing his best, and holding onto the edge of the pool for support as he felt himself drift. When he got the hang of it he let go—as suggested—that’s when it went bad.

With his eyes closed and water lapping him in any direction he had no clue where he was going. Sock heard a whistle, their signal, to come back for the next part. Or well, he _thought_ he heard it. Maybe he shouldn’t have let himself adrift for too long, or too far from the edge, especially when he didn’t have the basics for swimming. Or maybe he shouldn’t’ve gotten up the way he had, he didn’t know, but suddenly Sock’s sinking… _again!_

The four feet Sock was at was nowhere in sight as his feet caught nothing to hold him up. Only managing to catch a gasp of air before going under he slowly sank underwater. Eyes open he saw the ground below but knew he wouldn’t make it in time for it to be of use. Everything sounded weird underwater. Isolated and muffled. He heard a distance splash and wondered if that was his rescuer or someone from the other side of the pool jumping in.

Exhaling slowly, Sock closed his eyes hoping he could play dead and float up to the surface. Something pulled his sides and he gasped in pain inhaling water and making him flail around. Sock thought he hit something and felt something grab him before passing out.

 

* * *

 

Coughing water was the first thing he remembered when he came to. He opened his eyes seeing a blurry vision of Jonathan hovering over him. Next to him was Jojo looking worried.

“Damn it, you scared me,” Jojo scolded still looking worried. Her hair was wet and was dripping. He took a raspy breath in relieved no more water was being coughed out.

Jojo pulled him up so he was sitting as he looked around him seeing the other students looking curiously on. Jonathan was dry so Sock knew he wasn’t the one to rescue him this time around.

“You’re something kid,” Jonathan said surprised and impressed. “You always somehow find a way to almost die every time.” Sock’s face turned red from embarrassment. Jonathan shook his head a small smile crossing his face. “You’re going to need those swimming lessons. They’ll save your life.”

Jonathan stood up and ushered the rest of the kids back in the pool. Jojo sat down next to Sock her wet hair dripping on his arm.

“So... _that_ happened.” She mentioned bumping his shoulder.

“What do you mean?” Sock asked, voice hoarse.

Her eyes widen with glee. “He gave you mouth-to-mouth.” He blushed again getting a thrill up his spine before frowning. _I don’t remember that._

“Jojo, he just did it to save my life,” Sock argued trying to be pessimistic.

Jojo countered, “You got him to smile.” Well… there is that. “Tomorrow then?”

“Tomorrow.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jonathan has a few surprises for Sock at swim practice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the long delay. trying to read 100 books for the year crippled with mega writer's block and a black bleak mood made writing the next part... not easy.
> 
> However, I did persevere and here it is!

Sock was impatient for his next lesson. Sure he wanted to see Jonathan again even if he had to go back to that vile pool. Jojo tagged along wearing her swimsuit and shorts. “Gotta keep you alive,” she teased when he asked her why she was going.

The pool was the same. Evil in its way of wanting to kill him. Jojo snickered at his expression but patted his shoulder trying to convey support. She wordlessly signal that she was going to be off to the side in case he needed something. Like saving him again.

Sock nodded and smiled. Her blue eyes twinkled in mischief. “Go get ‘em tiger.”

Sock boomed with laughter lightening his mood when he temporary forgot the task at hand. Turning around his mood shifted as trepidation set in. _Will I almost drown today? Or will no one get to me in time, this time around?_ More unease settled in his stomach as he sat down waiting for class to beginning.

There were new kids here, Sock maybe recognized only one from the other day. But they were all still younger than him. Sock glanced up when he heard the door across the pool open up and Jonathan, all tan skin glorious, walked into the room.

Sock felt his heart pick up and his breaths shallow out just staring at him. Curling his hands on the fabric for his swim shorts he resisted looking like a complete dork. Jonathan wasn’t smiling this time and only pressed his lips tightly getting down to business. He welcomed everyone for showing up and instructed everyone to enter the pool.

Sock got up, already resigning himself at another dance with death when Jonathan placed his hand on his right shoulder.

_Holy crap! This is NOT a drill. I repeat, this is NOT A DRILL. Jonathan is TOUCHING ME!!_

“Hey, can you come with me for a sec?” Jonathan asked.

Sock stuttered out, “S-sure.”

Nodding Jonathan let go of his shoulder and began walking toward where he had come from. Sock sent a panic look at Jojo asking what he should do. She was animated and kept waving her arms for him to _go!_ Scrambling on suddenly two left feet Sock crossed the distance from his idol until they were walking side by side.

Before reaching the door Jonathan stopped and bend to pick something up. Sock’s heart kept stuttering in his chest at the close proximity of him and the fact that _Jonathan_ asked him to follow him. That he actually noticed _him!_ “You should put this on.”

It took Sock a few seconds to understand what Jonathan had in his hands, his mind still couldn’t accept the reality for Jonathan talking to him. In the older teen’s hand was a green lifejacket. “ _F-for me?!_ ” he squeaked surprised.

Jonathan furrowed his eyebrows confused by the question. “Yeah, for you. Based on your history this will most definitely come in handy.”

“Oh…” Sock said glumly grabbing the jacket, “um, thanks.”

“No problem,” he replied already looking above his head at the pool. “Don’t take too long,” he said absentminded as he patted his shoulder again, walked around him, and back to surveilling the pool.

Sock fumbled with the clasps before slipping inside and closing it shut. He felt a little ridiculous wearing this while the little kids didn’t but he would take that to sinking underwater again. When he was in sight again he looked for Jojo who quickly put a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. Sending her a withering look Sock jumped into the pool and was surprised how buoyant he was.

 _Am I going to need to wear a lifejacket anytime I’m beside a body of water?_ Sock had a sinking feeling that that just might be the case. But luckily he wouldn’t be sinking this time around.

 

* * *

 

“Okay, that’s it for today. I’ll see you guys next week.” Jonathan announced forty minutes later. Sock was surprised he managed to hold out that long without a single incident. As he dog paddled to safety he pulled himself out and heaved a long breath in relief. Jojo sat next to him dangling her feet into the water.

“Well that was interesting.”

“What was?” Sock asked.

“You… and not tanking to the bottom of the pool.” She teased hitting his green jacket. “Must be because _Jonathan_ got this thinking about you.”

The blood rushed up to Sock’s face. Jojo had a point that _was_ true. “Do you think I have a chance?”

“Definite— ly.” Jojo frowned. “…oh.”

“What, what is it?” Sock asked by her sudden mood change. Turning his head in the direction she was looking he saw a crushing sight. A gorgeous girl around the same age as Jonathan stood there beside him. Her purple hair pulled up into a high ponytail showing her clear brown eyes and a dazzling smile. Her brown skin was blemish free in a way that had skin care companies wishing she was their model. In a loose tee and mid-thigh shorts she tilted her head to press her lips against his. It was casual, nothing flashy, if anything that seemed to hurt more. They were comfortable with each other that they didn’t need to show off to the world.

Sock slumped in defeat. “Oh.”

“Well that certainly puts a damper on our plans.” Jojo replied still looking at the happy couple. Sock didn’t say anything to that. “What do you plan to do now?”

“I don’t know.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sometimes, things just don’t go according to plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the long hiatus. -laughs nervously- um, this is...different from the rest... soooo... enjoy?

Ice rattled inside the frosted glass as Sock set it down on the counter. Jojo and he were sitting on barstools around his parents' kitchen island. Jojo took another sip of her raspberry lemonade through a straw and raised her brow at her friend. Sock looked back with frustration etching a deep line between his brows.

"I don't know," he exclaimed pushing off from the counter and stood up. Jojo calmly watched him pace the space around them. She knew that he had to work out his nervous energy and stayed seated. Waiting.

"Come on Sock, just pick a plan so we can get started."

"No," he mumbled shaking his head as he continue pacing. Jojo didn't see the holdup it was a solid plan, _plans_ , she mentally added. They had plans but he couldn't pick which one they were going to implement. All of them boiled down to getting the girlfriend to break up with Jonathan, thus freeing him to be with Sock. Simple.

Jojo didn't see why Sock was worrying so much. "I thought you _wanted_ to be with him?"

"Yes," Sock stressed, "But not like this..."

"Quit being a baby," Jojo rebutted taking a large gulp of her lemonade. _Mm, this is really good._

"I'm not a baby!" Sock twisted around. "I'm just not so heartless as you are Joane."

The sound was deafening in the silence that took over after his outburst. Green eyes blinked rapidly as Jojo pressed her lips together and stood up from her seat. Without saying a word she stormed out slamming the front door after exiting.

"Jojo wait!"

She spun around glaring at him, "So is that what you think? Huh? That I'm heartless. Well you know what, screw you."

"I didn't mean that, I'm sorry—"

"—I bet you did," Jojo interrupted feeling her chest tighten. Her heart pounded in her chest the fury blinding her from seeing anyone but her so-called best friend. "It’s what you think of me. It’s what _everyone_ thinks of me but I didn't expect it from you. I thought _you_ were my friend."

"I am your friend," Sock pleaded taking a step closer.

Jojo narrowed her eyes at him and took a step back, a step off the sidewalk. Jojo squeezed between two park cars her back turned from the road. "Liar!"

She took another step back trying to keep her distance from Sock. "Jojo, please, I didn't mean it. I was mad okay. You know how I am went I get mad. I'm stupid." She took another step back when Sock tried to lean forward. "Please, you gotta believe me. I don't really think you're heartless, I just didn't like the ideas. It just seemed—"

"—Heartless?" Jojo shot back. The quick flash of guilt was all the confirmation she needed to know that Sock did believe that. Jojo felt her heart squeeze in pain and felt the prickling of tears. However, she didn't want to show her tears, not with Sock, not with anyone. Maybe that was why her classmates called her heartless. Even if it wasn't true and actually stung more than she would ever let on.

Jojo took another step back when she saw Sock take a small step forward. She watched as green eyes went panic wide as he went to reach for her. "Jojo, look—!"

She wrenched herself back away from his touch and didn't hear the rest of his warning. Pain suddenly radiated from her right side. It's shock waves rattling her core as she was thrown in the opposite direction from the pain. Jojo was on the ground and her head whipped and cracked loudly on the cement.

 

* * *

 

Sock stood motionless as he stared down at Jojo's crumpled body lying on the road. One moment he was trying to pull Jojo back and the next the car had hit her and she flew forward and landed harshly on the road. He hardly took a breath afraid to move, suspended in the air by the sudden tragedy.

Tires squealed loudly as the car that had just struck his friend raced away. Sock watched in increasing disbelief but it seemed to pull him back to himself. Running the distance between them he landed by her side.

"Jojo!" he cried out, his palms protesting at the small rocks dug and pierced the skin of his heels. Sock paid no mind to the minor pain and placed shaky cold fingers to her throat trying to feel a pulse. "Come on, come on," he mumbled to himself as he frantically searched for a pulse.

He couldn't feel one but he pushed the panic from his brain. Sock couldn't feel anything but his own pulse beating in his eardrums. Crouching down he placed his ear on her chest. Undiluted relief flooded his system as he heard the faint heartbeat different from his own loud beating. Jojo's still alive.

 _For_ _now_ , his brain added darkly.

Sock yelled for help. He didn't know how long it took for someone to hear him and call for help it felt like eternity. Jojo was half curled against herself like just before being knocked unconscious she was in pain. Sock wanted to shake her. To get her to open her eyes but he remembered somewhere in the recesses of his mind that he wasn't _supposed_ to move her.

He heard the sirens an infinite time later. For all Sock knew it could've been another century before the paramedics arrived. Being plucked from his friend's side Sock didn't put up any resistance he just watched as the checked her before mumbling to themselves. After that it became a blur of lights and sounds as more sirens sounded.

There was an eeriness to all the commotion and Sock was seated on the sidewalk without a clue how he got there. There was an officer crouching down in front of him, her mouth was moving but Sock couldn't hear her from the buzzing in his head. _Something's wrong_ , he thought.

Sock turned his head looking for Jojo but she wasn't inside the ambulance and the ambulance was still here. His heart stuttered in his chest as he felt an iciness seep inside. Around a group of officials he saw it. On the ground. A bright yellow tarp.

Sock felt hands holding his shoulders. He didn't know he had stood up and tried walking toward the group. Sock kept looking at the yellow tarp decorating the ground on top of an object. The buzzing picked up volume and he couldn't hear his own quickening breaths or his heart fluttering in his chest. All Sock could see was the damn yellow tarp on the floor surrounded by little yellow cones.

 _Jojo_ , his mind numbly shouted. _What about Jojo?_

He couldn't accept it. He wouldn't. She couldn't be... A choke sound escaped his throat. It didn't seem human, more like a whimpering puppy than from Sock. Hot tears burned his face. _No..._

"No!" strong arms wrapped around him keeping him in place and pulling him away from his friend. "Jojo! No! Let me go! I have to..."

"Shh, it's okay, it's okay." A low voice soothed into the ear of a distraught Sock. He shuddered closing his eyes against the pain as more tears fell.

"My-my friend... she... she can't..." Sock whimpered.

"Garcia, get him out of here," someone barked. Sock felt himself being pulled away.

"I'm so sorry hun. Your friend—" Officer Garcia said.

"—No," Sock moaned refusing to believe. He went limp in her arms as she continued with the dreaded message.

"Your friend didn't make it. I'm sorry." Sock closed his eyes and then everything went dark.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> grief can swallow you whole and spit you back out as something completely different

Like how a lit match can transform into a roaring wildfire so did the whisper of one grieving mother turn her daughter’s death into something much more. Just like a wildfire devours everything in its path, this particular fire had one target in mind. Sock.

Summer was over but its heat still lingered. Sock sat in his room looking outside his window. No one outside could see him, of course, with his curtains closed but he stared off down the street. If he squinted, he could make out exactly where the accident happened.

His heart thudded in his chest at the thought. _Four weeks, two days, and three and a half hours._ Tomorrow was the first day of school. Sock used to be excited about going to high school but it all changed. Jojo wouldn’t be going with him anymore.

 _She was dead,_ he reminded himself. A wave of grief nearly choked him. Tears prickled his eyes from keeping them at bay.

He would not cry again; he had no right. _It’s my fault that Jojo is dead. If I hadn’t said no to her plans… if I hadn’t called her heartless she’d_ still _be here._ Sock angrily swiped his face from the tears that manage to fall. Pushing himself off the window he faced his darken room.

Sock’s room was stifling in the heat. The A/C wasn’t on and with him shut in his room all day and the window and door closed he could feel the beads of sweat. Still, even in the stuffy heat, Sock made no move to leave his room.

He laid down on his bed looking at the blank ceiling. Sock could hear his parents moving around the kitchen. They were preparing dinner but he had no appetite. Sock closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep when he heard the footsteps approaching his room.

There were two knocks on the door before it opened. Sock kept his steady breathing and waited until his mother gave up and went back downstairs. After another minute he opened them and turned to the side. His open door let the sounds easier to hear. His parents were talking about Jojo’s mother again. About the rumors she was spreading and how it was ruining their lives. Already they had decided _not_ to send Sock to school tomorrow and tonight they discussed moving away. However, Sock had had no idea how serious it had became because they already had a house picked out.

“How are we going to tell him?” Sock’s mom asked her husband.

Sock could hear the shrug in his father, “It doesn’t really matter. Napoleon already suspects that we’re moving. We can’t stay here after everything Linda's been saying. I _know_ she’s grieving but it’s still no way to behave. Especially blaming the accident on our son. Because it _was_ an accident.”

“I know, I know,” she replied. There was a pause in their talk as dinner utensils scraped against their plate. Sock held his breath knowing what came next. How Jojo’s mom, Linda, blamed him for the accident; how he actually pushed her into the street and was hit by a car. Never mind that the driver drove off and the police were still looking for them, or that he shut himself off for the rest of the summer reliving her death over and over again. Agonizing every detail to see if he could’ve done something different to prevent it. But no, none of that mattered to Jojo’s mother, all she cared about was throwing the blame on a fourteen year old.

Sock squeezed his eyes shut and hoped for a dreamless slumber.

 

* * *

 

Sock shot up from his bed breathing heavily. His sheets were twisted around his waist and he had sweat dripping down his body. He took a minute to rearrange his thoughts and realize it was all a nightmare. It was the same one, Jojo getting ran over only this time she went under the car and he could hear every bone breaking under the weight of the car. He shuddered still hearing the snapping of bones. His dreams weren’t getting better but Sock never mentioned it to his parents. They had enough to worry about.

After the move four months ago Sock started high school and everything seemed normal. He tried so hard to be normal so his parents wouldn’t worry but it was reaching the breaking point. Getting up Sock made his way down to the kitchen for a glass of water. It was a lame excuse but it beat laying back down.

With a cup in his hands he sipped his drink wondering what Jojo’s mom was doing. Was she angry when they moved? Had she stopped blaming him for his friend’s death? Sock paused at that thought and placed his glass down on the counter. He walked to the small kitchen window looking out onto the street. A lone figure stood in the middle of the street. Sock couldn’t tell in what direction the figure was looking at.

A chill ran down his spine when the figure pulled down its hood and smile. They were facing him. Sock ran back up to his room and ducked under his sheets. There was harsh breathing inside his room and he squeezed his eyes shut.

“You killed me,” the voice hissed. Sock jumped at how close the person was and curled into a ball covering his ears. “You _KILLED_ me!”

“I didn’t,” Sock mumbled holding his head between his hands as he felt hands clutch his shoulders. His eyes sprang open and Sock blinked in terrified confusion. His new bedroom was nearly dark with just the small nightlight on. He glanced frantically around for someone else but came up empty.

A nightmare. Another one. A nightmare inside of another one. He wanted to sob from the exhaustion. These dreams disrupted his sleep so frequently that he could only get two to three hours of sleep a night. And when this happened so often it eventually added to his overall stress. A new school that alienated him. His parents’ relationship on the rocks due to the move. And this overwhelming unjust guilt.

Sock had reached his breaking point.

Going down the stairs he froze midway down. On the floor were his parents. Dead and bloody.

His heart thudded on his neck as he surveyed the room in shock. Looking down Sock saw his own hands coated with dried blood as well as his clothing.

He had just killed his parents. In his sleep.


End file.
